The Wolf-Leader · Chapter
VI explained
In this chapter, Mocquet, the superstitious gamekeeper, tells the General about his plan to kill Mother Durand, whom he believes is a witch that torments him at night.
What happens
In this chapter, Mocquet, the superstitious gamekeeper, tells the General about his plan to kill Mother Durand, whom he believes is a witch that torments him at night. The General, amused and concerned, writes a letter to M. Collard to send Mocquet away on a pretext to keep him from acting on his violent plan. Mocquet also recounts his failed trap for the wolf, which leads to a discussion about Thibault's black wolf and the devil, and the General warns Mocquet not to tell the young narrator such tales until he is older.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Thibault’s psychological peak occurs when he misreads the wolves’ and owls’ devotion as proof of universal lov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Supernatural and Folklore
Mocquet's belief in the witch Mother Durand and the black wolf as the devil highlights the persistence of folklore and supernatural beliefs in rural life.
- Class and Power
The General's handling of Mocquet—sending him away on a pretext—demonstrates the power dynamic between the landowner and his superstitious servant.
Characters to notice
- Mocquet
The superstitious gamekeeper who believes he is being nightmared by Mother Durand and plans to kill her; he also recounts his trap for the wolf.
- General
The narrator's father, who humorously deals with Mocquet's superstitions and writes a letter to send him away.
- Thibault
Mentioned as the former owner of the black wolf, which Mocquet claims is the devil.
- Mother Durand
The old woman Mocquet accuses of being a witch and nightmares him; she is the target of his violent plan.
Key passages
“I am sending you that idiot of a keeper of mine, whom you know; he has taken into his head that an old woman nightmares him every night, and, to rid himself of this vampire, he intends nothing more nor less than to kill her.”
The General writes to Collard that his foolish gamekeeper believes an old woman haunts him at night and plans to murder her to stop it.
The General's letter reveals his condescending view of Mocquet's superstitions.
“Because it is no use stuffing his mind with nonsense of that kind, until he is old enough to laugh at wolves, whether they are white, grey or black.”
The General tells Mocquet not to tell the narrator such superstitious tales until he is old enough to dismiss them.
The General's concern for his son's education reflects Enlightenment skepticism toward folklore.
